Strangers’ conversations are of no interest to me. I respect other people’s privacy. But occasionally you hear something without meaning to—and it makes you wonder exactly what is going on out there.

I was recently in the changing area of a trendy boutique where a lot of younger women shop. A teenage girl was in the room next to mine with her boyfriend. She was complaining about being “disgustingly fat” and how she had gone from a size zero to a size 4. Her knight in shining armour responded, “Maybe you should start hitting the gym.”

Truly unbelievable…

I’m 5’9″ and 140 pounds. (No, that’s not me to the right!) I can wear a size 6, though I’m generally an 8 or a 10. I’ve been ten pounds lighter. I don’t ever want to be that thin again.

According to available stats, an American size zero is equivalent to a 31 1/2″ bust, 23″ waist and 34″ hips. If that’s your natural shape, that’s fine. But if you’re going to sacrifice your own peace of mind AND your health to rise to the level of a ridiculous ideal that shouldn’t even exist, then what’s the point?

For a hot-blooded feminist, I give the male gender a lot of credit. (Most days.) The vast majority of guys find the size zero situation appalling. The only ones that would buy into that are men that are looking for the upper hand and some control.

Instead of revelling in their own beauty and feeling good about themselves, some women are determined to pursue a destructive goal which is completely unrealistic. It will never make them happy.

All of that—including the men who support that standard—should be kicked to the curb accordingly.

The attraction that emotionally mature males have for the opposite sex is largely based on the fact that women are different from them. Why would a man be drawn to someone that resembles a skeleton when he could have a goddess who’s actually proud of her femininity?